Environmental AdvocacyEnvironmental Advocacy

Paper presented by Selestino Chari Paper presented by Selestino Chari (Lobby and Advocacy Programme Officer)(Lobby and Advocacy Programme Officer)

atatEnvironment Africa Media WorkshopEnvironment Africa Media Workshop

25 – 26 April 200725 – 26 April 2007HarareHarare

DefinitionsDefinitionsEnvironmentEnvironment

The natural and man-made resources, physical resources, both The natural and man-made resources, physical resources, both biotic and abiotic, occurring in the lithosphere and atmosphere, biotic and abiotic, occurring in the lithosphere and atmosphere, water, soil, minerals and living organisms, whether indigenous or water, soil, minerals and living organisms, whether indigenous or

exotic and the interaction between them (EMA CAP 20:27)exotic and the interaction between them (EMA CAP 20:27)

Media AdvocacyMedia Advocacy

The purposeful and planned use of mass media to bring problems The purposeful and planned use of mass media to bring problems and policy solutions to the attention of the community and local and policy solutions to the attention of the community and local

decision makers (Prevention Research Centre)decision makers (Prevention Research Centre)

What is advocacy?What is advocacy? An action aimed at changing the policies, positions and An action aimed at changing the policies, positions and programmes of governments, institutions and organizations programmes of governments, institutions and organizations

(General)(General)

Putting a problem on the agenda, providing a solution to the Putting a problem on the agenda, providing a solution to the problem, and building support for acting on both the problem and problem, and building support for acting on both the problem and

the solution (General)the solution (General)

An organized, systematic, intentional influencing process on An organized, systematic, intentional influencing process on matters of public interest (General)matters of public interest (General)

What does advocacy include?What does advocacy include?

Looking for issues, events and opportunitiesLooking for issues, events and opportunities Demonstrating solutions ( comparisons)Demonstrating solutions ( comparisons) Action oriented researchAction oriented research Policy analysis and prescriptionalPolicy analysis and prescriptional Awareness raisingAwareness raising Campaigning, demonstrations, boycottsCampaigning, demonstrations, boycotts Lobbying ( openly on behind the scenes) Lobbying ( openly on behind the scenes) Partnerships which can be local, national, Partnerships which can be local, national,

internationalinternational Creating ways for people to act (national, Creating ways for people to act (national,

international or local)international or local) Publishing and media work (communication)Publishing and media work (communication)

Importance of advocacyImportance of advocacy

To bring change, influence policy, To bring change, influence policy, to improve understanding, to improve understanding, disseminate information, educate disseminate information, educate and inform, to incite concern, to and inform, to incite concern, to reach a wider audiencereach a wider audience

Accountability and transparencyAccountability and transparencyStrengthens capacity of decision Strengthens capacity of decision

makers, and civil societymakers, and civil society

Approaches to advocacy Approaches to advocacy

Abolitionist approach-Abolitionist approach- Influence global processes Influence global processes e.g. GMOs, climate change, MDGs and e.g. GMOs, climate change, MDGs and Environmental tradeEnvironmental trade

Reformist approach-Reformist approach- This targets technical and This targets technical and regional/national levels of institutions (water, regional/national levels of institutions (water, GMOs)GMOs)

Demonstrative approach-Demonstrative approach- To convince policy To convince policy makers of the need to change (constitutional makers of the need to change (constitutional reforms)reforms)

The basic advocacy The basic advocacy procedure procedure

Step 3: Information Assessment: once the information has been gathered, assess the issue or situation to decide whether you should engage in advocacy or not

Step 4: Planning: once you have decided to engage in advocacy, formulate a strategy. This will have clear ideas of issues, objectives, targets, methods/activities, allies/opponents, resources, responsibilities, time-scale, success indicators and evaluation point

Step 5:Action: take action according to the strategy agreed in Step 4, using the range of methods and activities available. The key to Steps 4 and 5 is coordination of all of the people involved in advocacy and all of the methods being used ‑ lobbying, campaigning, and media work.

Step 1: Proposal: propose advocacy on an issue of concern to you

Step 6: Evaluation: Monitor actions, evaluate their results and decide what further action is appropriate or how advocacy could be done differently in the future

Step 2: InformationGathering: gather thenecessary information to assess the situation and consider whether you have a potential role in any advocacy activity

SWOT analysisSWOT analysis

Strengths Strengths WeaknessesWeaknessesOpportunitiesOpportunitiesThreatsThreats

TargetsTargets

Primary- e.g. GovernmentPrimary- e.g. Government

Secondary- e.g. UN AgenciesSecondary- e.g. UN Agencies

Categorizing and prioritizing Categorizing and prioritizing stakeholdersstakeholders

AlliesAllies AdversariesAdversaries NeutralNeutral BeneficiariesBeneficiaries

• GovernmentGovernment Government is usually the primary target in advocacy because of its power to change or not to Government is usually the primary target in advocacy because of its power to change or not to

change things or laws. Any change objective in advocacy must target government as both a change things or laws. Any change objective in advocacy must target government as both a potential ally or opponent. This is so because some people in positions of power may be potential potential ally or opponent. This is so because some people in positions of power may be potential allies, people who we can work with to change the situation, as opposed to people we need to work allies, people who we can work with to change the situation, as opposed to people we need to work against. Early involvement in a policy process is important for greater impact, and a good against. Early involvement in a policy process is important for greater impact, and a good relationship with policy‑makers will help this to happen. relationship with policy‑makers will help this to happen.

• Multilateral /International Institutions and agencies Multilateral /International Institutions and agencies International, intergovernmental and multilateral agencies or donors may have significant International, intergovernmental and multilateral agencies or donors may have significant

influence on government agendas, particularly in poorer countries, because they have the power to influence on government agendas, particularly in poorer countries, because they have the power to give or withdraw funding. And for certain change objectives, international agencies may in fact be give or withdraw funding. And for certain change objectives, international agencies may in fact be the primary targets. International agencies by their nature are large, complicated and heavily the primary targets. International agencies by their nature are large, complicated and heavily bureaucratic organizations with strong political agendas. bureaucratic organizations with strong political agendas.

• The Corporate SectorThe Corporate Sector- which includes large companies, employers, local businesses can be your - which includes large companies, employers, local businesses can be your valuable stakeholder in advocacy. It can be significantly influential, especially with regard to valuable stakeholder in advocacy. It can be significantly influential, especially with regard to economic policies. Presentations to the corporate sector should use its language, explaining policy economic policies. Presentations to the corporate sector should use its language, explaining policy change in numbers, for example change in numbers, for example

Setting of advocacy Setting of advocacy objectivesobjectives It is very important that participants understand It is very important that participants understand

that before setting advocacy objectives, certain that before setting advocacy objectives, certain requirements have to be metrequirements have to be met

The objectives to be set should meet the SMART The objectives to be set should meet the SMART principle. This means that they must be;principle. This means that they must be;

SpecificSpecificMeasurableMeasurableAchievableAchievableRealisticRealisticTime-FramedTime-Framed

Participatory approach in Participatory approach in advocacyadvocacy

Stakeholders play an active role in Stakeholders play an active role in advocacy. Involving them generates a sense advocacy. Involving them generates a sense of belonging and ownership. It is very of belonging and ownership. It is very essential to analyze these stakeholders in essential to analyze these stakeholders in terms of their interest, needs, capabilities terms of their interest, needs, capabilities and affiliations. This is done to enhance the and affiliations. This is done to enhance the likelihood of success in an advocacy project. likelihood of success in an advocacy project. Also it is morally right to include all people Also it is morally right to include all people going to be affected by your projectgoing to be affected by your project

Challenges in advocacy Challenges in advocacy workwork

• Danger of substituting for Partners: Danger of substituting for Partners: There is a risk that speaking on There is a risk that speaking on behalf of individuals and communities in the South further disempowers behalf of individuals and communities in the South further disempowers them (and brings into question the legitimacy of NGOs seeking to do so);them (and brings into question the legitimacy of NGOs seeking to do so);

• Inadequate Capacity-Inadequate Capacity-Advocacy requires sufficient resources in terms Advocacy requires sufficient resources in terms of finances, adequate, dedicated and skilled personnel, time, etc which of finances, adequate, dedicated and skilled personnel, time, etc which are not always readily available;are not always readily available;

• Advocacy work takes time-Advocacy work takes time-Working participatively takes time, can be Working participatively takes time, can be frustrating, and is often bureaucratic while change is not always frustrating, and is often bureaucratic while change is not always guaranteed, apart from time long time if it occurs;guaranteed, apart from time long time if it occurs;

• Logistical nightmares-Logistical nightmares-Participating in a project with partners Participating in a project with partners operating in different countries, at different levels, to different priorities operating in different countries, at different levels, to different priorities can be frustrating, cumbersome and expensive. You need to keep can be frustrating, cumbersome and expensive. You need to keep focused on your role within it, and be clear about what you want from focused on your role within it, and be clear about what you want from others and what you can contribute to their activities in return;others and what you can contribute to their activities in return;

• Conflicts of interests-Conflicts of interests-This occurs both within an organization (between This occurs both within an organization (between management, who can think of advocacy as an element of corporate management, who can think of advocacy as an element of corporate communications, and project staff who think of it as a dangerous communications, and project staff who think of it as a dangerous diversion from more 'concrete' work) and between different diversion from more 'concrete' work) and between different organizations. Try to steer a balance between these extremes;organizations. Try to steer a balance between these extremes;

THANK YOUTHANK YOU